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Category Archives: Health Care Reform
Gang of Six: Kill CLASS; Cut Social Security, Health Spending
One specific recommendation calls for eliminating the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (CLASS Act) long term care program. The CLASS Act is supposed to create a voluntary, worker-funded LTC program. Critics have argued that the program would be actuarially unsound and eventually would have to charge higher and higher rates as healthier workers began to avoid it.
The proposal would encourage Congress to reform or replace the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate formula and offset the cost with savings on other health care expenditures. A parenthetical note in the proposal seems to suggest that drafters believe that move could save $298 billion over 10 years.
The drafters say the government also should seek $202 billion in additional health savings while maintaining the essential health care services on which the poor and elderly depend.
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Milliman: Health Costs Rise 7.3%
The cost of health care for a typical family of four has increased 7.3% this year, to $19,393.
Milliman Inc., Seattle, has published that figure in its 2011 Milliman Medical Index report, which is based on the analysis of the cost of a typical preferred provider organization plan.
The rate of increase is down from 7.8% in 2010, but employees’ share of total costs has increased to about 40%, from about 37% in 2005, Milliman says.
This year, increases in the cost of hospital care accounted for a disproportionate share of the overall increase. The cost of inpatient hospital care increased 8.6%, and the cost of outpatient care increased 10%.
Milliman also looked at costs in 14 major markets.
In 6 of the 14 markets, typical health coverage costs for a family of four already exceed $20,000, Milliman says.
Phoenix had the cheapest coverage; there, the annual cost of a plan for four is about $17,300.
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High court rejects early review of PPACA challenge
By Marli D. Riggs April 25, 2011 The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a request by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) to expedite review of Virginia’s lawsuit challenging PPACA’s individual mandate. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) posted on his … Continue reading
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Proposed FSA tweak doesn’t go far enough, critics say
By Bruce Shutan March 17, 2011 Benefit professionals have tirelessly lobbied for an end to the so-called use-it-or-lose it rule governing pretax employee contributions to a flexible spending account, which is now the centerpiece of a bipartisan proposal in Congress. … Continue reading
Legal Alert: Employers’ concerns over PPACA carry some weight
By Kate Bongiovanni March 11, 2011 It appears that employers can be optimistic that federal agencies are reviewing and considering their public comments on regulatory guidance under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In November 2010, the Departments of … Continue reading
